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| Edited By: DNA Web Team |Source: DNA webdesk |Updated: Mar 20, 2018, 04:38 AM IST
Normal life was affected in various parts of the country, including West Bengal, Tripura, Kerala and Karnataka, as 10 central trade unions on Wednesday went on a day-long nationwide strike to protest against changes in labour laws and privatisation of PSUs.
Trade union leaders claimed that around 15 crore formal sector workers are on strike in support of their 12-point charter of demands. BJP-backed BMS and NFITU however stayed away from the strike.
The strike affected transport, banking operations and other services in various parts of the country.
Normal working at banks was affected as 23 public sector banks, 12 private sector banks, 52 regional rural banks and over 13,000 cooperative banks have joined the stir except SBI, IOB, ICICI Bank, HDFC Bank and Axis Bank who choose to stay away from the strike.
TMC and CPIM workers in Murshidabad, West Bengal clashed in the morning, with both parties resorting to stone pelting. The police soon intervened and had to use lathi charge to disperse the crowds. There are now reports of stone pelting on buses coming in frm Bengaluru.
ALSO READ: What is the trade union strike all about and who is participating?
For more hyper local stories, visit iamin.
West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday said she was a supporter of the working class but was against bandh as it has no future but the Marxists were trying to survive by resorting to frequent bandhs.
Bandh affects banking operations in Gujarat
Nearly 30,000 bank employees, comprising clerical staff and peons, did not report to work today which affected clearing and cash transactions, according to an office-bearer of Mahagujarat Bank Employees Association.
However, State Bank of India, Indian Overseas Bank as well as private banks functioned normally.
Over 200 people have been arrested in West Bengal
Nearly 200 persons were arrested from different parts of the state and clashes occurred at some places between the Left and Trinamool workers. The clashes took place at Baharampore and Domkal in Murshidabad district, while instances of scuffle were also reported from other parts of the state.
Daily life stays normal in Bihar; banking services hit
Daily life was not much affected in Bihar, while banking services in the state were partially hit during the country-wide strike called by ten central trade unions.
Public sector banks remained closed for the day as its employees stayed away from work and staged demonstration to protest against the NDA government's proposal to privatise these banks, Bank Employees' Federation of Bihar General Secretary JP Dixit said in a statement.
Trade union activists block a junction during a protest in Kolkata.
Goa
The strike evoked a mixed response in Goa disrupting markets and transport services in several parts of the state, while many cities remained completely shut.
The day began with public transport remaining completely off the roads, but later government managed to convince state-run Kadamba Transport Corporation Limited (KTCL) to ply buses on main routes, trying to bring back normalcy.
Schools, banks, insurance firms and markets remained closed in towns like Mapusa, Vasco, Ponda, Valpoi, Sanguem, Sanvordem, Bicholim, Mercel and others.
Strike hits NMDC; iron ore production down 75,000 tonnes
The day-long nationwide strike called by 10 central trade unions today crippled iron ore production of state-owned NMDC by nearly 75,000 tonnes across all its mines, a senior official of the PSU said.
"As many as 4,200 employees participated in the strike affecting the production by nearly 75,000 tonnes in Chhattisgarh and Karnataka," the official said.
Chennai
Buses plying from Besant Nagar bus stand
Pune
Some co-operative banks were however closed as also central government agencies like the post office were shut, inconveniencing people.
The auto drivers however didn't even seem to know of a bandh. "What bandh? Everything is normal here," said Ankush Mujumde, 33, at a Viman Nagar auto stand.
Pune
Some areas of Pune - Viman Nagar, Vishrantwadi, Yerawada, Lohegaon - saw a partial shut situation . Even as buses and auto rickshaws plied passengers, the roads were relatively less crowded. Most bus stops also wore a deserted look.
"The frequency of buses is fine. I travelled to school in time and am now waiting to return home," said Shreyashi Sinha, a school student waiting at a bus stop on Nagar Road.
Pune, Maharashtra
Workers hold a rally near the College of Engineering in Pune
(Image Credit: Team iamin)
While a branch of Bank of India remained shut in Pune, other cooperative banks were functioning despite the trade union strike call.
Bengaluru
The bandh has affected most cities across the nation, and public transport services have been majorly affected. Incidents of stone pelting have been reported in Bengaluru, where around 15 BMTC and Volvo buses were damaged. Buses are completely off the roads now. Shanti Nagar and Majectic area bus stands were also deserted state reports.
(Image credit: Maheshwara Reddy; Team iamin)
Mumbai, Maharashtra
Corporation Bank branch in Kandivali West.
In New Delhi, 23 public sector banks, 12 private sector banks, 52 regional rural banks and over 13,000 cooperative banks have gone on strike today to protest against government's pro- corporate policies," All India Bank Employees Association General Secretary C H Venkatachalam said. He said that over half of the 10 lakh banking sector workers are supporting the strike call given by 10 central trade unions as their talks with the government on 12-points charter of demand failed last month.
Mumbai, Maharashtra
(Image credit: Nitesh Dubey, Team iamin)
Maharashtra government employees on the streets in Thane, Mumbai
Jodhpur, Rajasthan
From 4 am till 9 am, around 50 buses were scheduled to leave the bus depot, but not a single bus left the depot, as all the drivers are participating in the day-long trade union strike.
(Image credit: Abhishek Verma, Jodhpur. Team iamin)
(Image credit: Abhishek Verma, Jodhpur. Team iamin)
Mumbai, Maharashtra
A Churchgate bound Western Railways train was stopped for some time at Andheri station by protesters participating in the trade union strike. However, the police, however, soon intervened and dispersed the protestors.
(Image credit: Anagha Sawant, Team iamin)
(Image credit: Anagha Sawant, Team iamin)
The BMC office is deserted today morning as workers stayed away from work due to the strike.
(Image credit: Nitesh Dubey, Team iamin)
Clashes between TMC and CPIM in Murshidabad, West Bengal
In Murshidabad district's Berhampore, Trinamool Congress supporters allegedly pelted stones on CPIM supporters leaving several injured. Left leader, Moinul Hassan and seven others, including two women were seen attacked by Trinamool Congress supporters. They were seriously injured in the brick batting and are admitted to the local hospital.
Later, RAF was rushed to the spot to bring the situation under control. Police and RAF personnel resorted to a lathi charge to disperse agitating demonstrators of Left and Trinamool Congress.
(Pic: ANI)
Bangalore, Karnataka
Jeevan Bima Nagar Bus Stand
Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation buses parked at Majestic
The Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation is sparse today mornng due to the trade union strike. Bus operators in Bangalore have joined the strike and remained off the roads.
Mumbai
There are less taxis and more cars on the roads today. Buses and auto-rickshaws functioning in Mumbai.
West Bengal
Normal life in West Bengal has been partially hit due to the strike. Train services of South Eastern railway were normal although Eastern railway officials said suburban services in the Sealdah south section were hit for sometime in the morning due to blockade at some places.
Metro Rail services were operating normally, officials said. Shops, markets and business establishments in most areas remained closed. Read More
AITUC General Secretary, Gurudas Dasgupta
Wonderful & splendid strike (trade unions), has been effective throughout country: Gurudas Dasgupta (AITUC,Gen Secy) pic.twitter.com/HRps1efIdk
— ANI (@ANI_news) September 2, 2015
Ppl dissatisfied with anti-worker policy of Govt,a protest against way in which Govt denying workers right to form unions: Gurudas Dasgupta
— ANI (@ANI_news) September 2, 2015
New Delhi
Trade unions' nation wide strike over NDA's proposed amendments in Labor laws being observed in Delhi. pic.twitter.com/zKrG4VeaDe
— ANI (@ANI_news) September 2, 2015
Trade unions' nation-wide strike: Clash between auto rickshaw drivers in Delhi. pic.twitter.com/5ipjYZuoPn
— ANI (@ANI_news) September 2, 2015
Auto-rickshaw wallahs who haven't joined the strike are charging more to take passengers.
Kolkata, West Bengal
Nation-wide strike called by trade unions over proposed changes in Labor laws (Visuals from Kolkata) pic.twitter.com/UUcl5JYEbI
— ANI (@ANI_news) September 2, 2015
Nation-wide strike called by trade unions over NDA's proposed changes in Labor laws, being observed in Kolkata pic.twitter.com/we0veHhXkd
— ANI (@ANI_news) September 2, 2015
Mumbai, Maharashtra
Nation-wide strike called by trade unions over NDA's proposed changes in Labor laws being observed in Mumbai pic.twitter.com/6AdoFPHANz
— ANI (@ANI_news) September 2, 2015
Kanpur (Uttar Pradesh): Trade unions observe nation-wide strike over NDA's proposed changes in Labor laws. pic.twitter.com/1c8SzO3Fa6
— ANI (@ANI_news) September 2, 2015
Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh
Kanpur (Uttar Pradesh): Trade unions observe nation-wide strike over NDA's proposed changes in Labor laws. pic.twitter.com/1c8SzO3Fa6
— ANI (@ANI_news) September 2, 2015
Khammam, Telangana
Trade unions' nation-wide strike observed in Khammam, Telangana. pic.twitter.com/cwgvDcWJhi
— ANI (@ANI_news) September 2, 2015
Vijayawada, Andhra Pradesh
Country-wide strike called by trade unions over NDA's proposed changes in Labor laws,observed in Vijayawada (Andhra) pic.twitter.com/tP46upQrcz
— ANI (@ANI_news) September 2, 2015
